2nd Series 05/4 - Getting Better
by Laura the infamous B
Summary: An epilogue to Desperate measures.


  
**Getting Better**   
An epilogue for Desperate Measures   
by Laura Boeff

"Hey, girl."   
Ace knelt down as Zina head butted his leg, purring loudly as he departed the vehicle bay. The large panther leaned into his scratching fingers, gold eyes half lidded as she rumbled her greeting.   
Ace smiled. Taking, as always, immense pleasure in the simple act of petting the black cat. Zina had been at his side for a long time now. But, despite her age, she still had all the enthusiasm for life of a kitten. And Ace had the bruises to prove it when she got carried away playing with the magician.   
"I know daddy's late coming home," he chuckled. His evening with Mona had been just what the doctor ordered. Or, more to the fact, just what Cosmo had ordered. Ace stood up, Zina falling in at his side with a happy flick of her tail as he started up to the Express' personnel quarters.   
Ace had no doubt Cosmo had invited Ulene over the moment he was out the door. Not that he could blame the young man. He knew Cosmo was going up the wall with the forced inactivity his injury was causing. He could only hope his young friend had not gone to overboard and aggravated his wounds. But then, knowing how fussy Ulene was being, it was doubtful the young man had even made it to first base with his girlfriend this night. Ulene could be as stubborn as Ace when it came to Cosmo's welfare.   
Turning down the hall, Ace headed toward Cosmo's room. He just wanted to peek in and make sure his partner was okay. It was becoming a habit he knew, but one Cosmo was tolerating at the moment. Not just for Ace's sake but for his own. Between the bandages, the weak state of his body and the medication, Cosmo was a pretty sad wreck. Mobility was a task enough, let alone the simple act of dressing or showering.   
Ace chuckled. And Cosmo hated that! Not that Ace minded helping out. It simply seemed to be an inborn trait in Ace to help those in need. It just wasn't a trait in Cosmo to seek help when needed.   
Quietly, Ace slipped into the dark room and peeked around the corner to Cosmo's bed. Humm.. empty. Ace frowned slightly, feeling a pang of worry. Had there been a problem? Ulene wasn't about. Her car hadn't been outside.   
"Angel, where is Cosmo?"   
"He is in the library, Ace."   
Still frowning, Ace headed to the library/living room...   
And found Cosmo asleep on the couch.   
Ace felt a twinge of relief. Despite all the young man's assurances, he had been rather nervous of leaving Cosmo alone for the evening. Not that his partner couldn't honestly care for himself, and had Angel watching over him as well. it was just....   
Ace sighed pausing at the couch. It was just Ace had come too close to losing his most precious partner. He smiled unconsciously at the sight. Cosmo was stretched out the couch that had been pretty much his home since his release from the hospital. He was snoring softly, mouth slightly open; laying on his good side, head pillowed on one arm while the other dangled off the couch, fingers limp.   
Distantly, Ace noted someone had tidied up the table beside the couch. Ulene he had no doubt. The effort it took for Cosmo to get up was enough to deter him from any act of neatness. Knelling down Ace just looked at his friend. It seemed only yesterday when Cosmo had been no more than a very young teen, cautiously carving a place for himself in Ace's home. In Ace's life.   
Ace himself would have never imagined how much Cosmo would succeed. How much the young man had become a part of his world, giving him the family he had never had before. Ace never regretting his actions in reaching out to help a frightened and troubled boy, even when things seemed ready to go disastrously wrong.   
Cosmo let out a small snort. Sniffled and turned slightly in his sleep. Ace chuckled. Cosmo was an angel in sleep. Completely at peace, his boyish face appearing much younger then he was. He looked so young in sleep. God, Ace marveled, if he didn't know Cosmo's real birthday he wouldn't have placed the boy a day over sixteen at the moment. Well, maybe a day, he chuckled. Cosmo's face might be deceptively young, but his body was far from, having developed the firm, muscular lines of a young man approaching his prime. He had filled out at last. Cosmo wouldn't probably gain much more in height, but he had finally lost some of the lanky build that had made him somewhat self-conscious in the early years of his life.   
So damn close!   
Ace fought the shiver that wanted to come. So damn close to losing his young friend. When the doctor had made the off hand comment that they nearly lost Cosmo on the operating table, his heart had all but stopped. It shouldn't have surprised him. Really. He had been there. He had seen the damage Marvin had done. But just hearing it, hearing how close it had come...   
Anger briefly flared and Ace didn't deny it. Yes, he could be angry at what Marvin did. He was not proud with how he had reacted. No. Not at all. Was honestly sad for the fact but he could be angry still. But anger never lasted long in him. He let the emotions slide aside. He had had a nice evening. He was home and Cosmo was safe. That was all that mattered in the end. The city was a little safer and so was his family. Ace smiled.   
Family.   
Zina rumbled and came up to Cosmo, sniffing playfully at his face. Ace chuckled as the teen swatted sleepily at the whiskers tickling over his cheek.   
"You're being mean," Ace reprimanded the panther quietly. He could almost see the smile in the cats face as Zina looked up at him. Ace laughed silently as Cosmo shifted sluggishly, wincing in his sleep as his injured side flared. Ace felt a pang of darkness at the small flinch. There was no way to hide the bandage that encased Cosmo's torso. It bulged beneath his snug shirt and was a prominent reminder of just how much longer Cosmo would need to recover. The bandaged arm was also conspicuous, but would soon be gone. Cosmo being schedule to have the stitches removed there next week. The wound in his side would take longer. The lung whole again but the muscles around the injury still mending.   
For a moment the magician marveled at the simple, shocking fact at how fast so much could go wrong. If it hadn't been for Cosmo aggravating the magic force Ace would have never known his partner was in trouble in the first place.   
Cosmo touching the magic force. Cosmo being his apprentice. It seemed so right in a way. While Ace had regretted seeing Cosmo burdened with the powers of magic, it never struck him as wrong for the young man to have them. As if he always knew one day the teen would be a magician such as himself. Not surprising. Ace was now convinced it had been the magic that drew them together. Both reacting unconsciously to the powers inside themselves and latching onto each other. A lonely magician and a troubled boy. Both finding what they needed. Friendship... family.   
Hesitantly, Ace reached out. He hated to wake Cosmo, he really did. The young man needed his rest, but the couch was not the ideal place for it. Bad enough Cosmo spent his days here, it would do him no good to spend his nights as well.   
"Cosmo," Ace called, hand resting on one shoulder and squeezing.   
"Cosmo."   
There was a snort and a tensing of muscles as sleep lost it's hold on his apprentice. Blinking blearily Cosmo looked around in a moments confusion before his eyes settled on Ace.   
"Oh... hey," he murmured thickly, eyes uncertain whether to stay open of not. "You're home."   
"Such a master of the obvious," Ace teased him, offering a helping hand and easing Cosmo up into a sitting position. Stiffly, Cosmo went, groaning softly as muscles protested.   
"Oh man..." he lamented. "What time is it?"   
"Late. Come on, let's get you to bed," Ace suggested.   
"Why couldn't I hear that line from Ulene?" Cosmo muttered, latching onto Ace's arm.   
Ace quirked an amused eyebrow. "Because, contrary to what you think, she does have your best interest in mind," he pointed out.   
Cosmo grinned weakly.   
"Where's the fun in that?"   
Ace just laughed. "Don't worry, partner. I'm sure you'll have your fun soon enough. Did you take your medication?"   
"Yea."   
"Painkiller?"   
Another nod. Ace had suspected that. They had a tendency of knocking Cosmo out cold. The painkiller he had being pretty hefty to fight the agony his healing side could induce.   
"How was your evening?" Cosmo asked, swiping at his sleep filled face.   
"Good. Mona and I had a nice dinner and even went dancing," Ace informed him. Cosmo smiled and nodded.   
"Cool... Glad."   
"Thank you for kicking me out," Ace told him kindly. Cosmo just shrugged slightly.   
"Hey, what are best friends for if not to kick you out of the house once in a while?"   
Cosmo smiled at Ace's chuckle. It wasn't just for Ace's welfare Cosmo had booted him. His hovering and mother-henning had been wearing thin on the teen's nerves as well. As much as Ace hated to admit it, they both needed an evening away from each other. Ace needed to forget for a while just what had happened and Cosmo needed a breather from his emotional fretting.   
They had both gotten what they needed and it had worked wonders. They reached the teen's room and Cosmo sat carefully on his bed, yawning again.   
"Man, think I could sleep for a week."   
"And miss your daily visits with Ulene?" Ace poked with mock innocence. That got him a raised red brow.   
"You're lucky I'm feeling generous right now," the young man retorted, not quite hiding his blush. Ace grinned and helped him get out of his shirt.   
"I'm shaking, Cosmo, really," he returned, completely dead-pan. Cosmo broke out in laughter, then hissed in pain.   
"Man, don't do that!" the reproach accompanied his giggles.   
"Sorry," Ace said sincerely, feeling a stab of guilt he tried to let slid. Cosmo had had enough of his dark emotions. And in a way, so had he.   
"So much for laughter being the best medicine," Cosmo grumbled good-naturedly as he finished undressing- Ace helping when needed. The teen was all but asleep by the time Ace pulled the blankets up. He would have liked to check Cosmo's bandages, but right now his partner was far more interested in a get together with his pillow. Not that Ace could blame him. He was hearing the call of his own bed.   
Zina rumbled and looked into the bed, trying to find some space.   
"Go away ya blanket hog," Cosmo muttered, eyes starting to droop shut. Zina let out an indignant snort and Ace laughed at the cats retort. She glared up at him, then let out another little rumble before contenting herself with the foot of Cosmo's bed.   
"Your own little nursemaid," Ace chuckled.   
Cosmo grumbled under his breath. "Yea. Of the shedding variety," he added, then smiled. "Thanks for the helping hand, Ace."   
"No problem. Need anything?"   
A slight shake of the head. "Nope. All set. Night, bro."   
"Night, Cosmo. And goodnight, Zina," Ace added when the cat gave him a displeased ear flick. Cosmo chuckled softly as Ace shut off the light and let the door close behind him.   
He paused in the hall, musing at the train around him. Cosmo was healing and, in a way, so was he. The world was not a perfect place-- not by a longshot. And things would go wrong from time even in his the corner of his universe. But, right now, while not being perfect, things were getting better.   
Ace smiled, heading toward his own room, sleep beckoning him as well. And this time, Ace sensed, sleep without the specter of dark dreams.   
Yes. Things were getting better.   



End file.
